The Animal Project is a Canadian comedy film directed by Ingrid Veninger (i am a good person/i am a bad person). The film stars Aaron Poole as Leo, an acting teacher living an unfulfilled life and dealing with a strained relationship with his teenage son. In an attempt to break out of his current funk, Leo comes up with ‘The Animal Project’, an exercise he gives his acting class that has them go out in public wearing furry mascot costumes.

Veninger is known for making very indie, low-budget films, and The Animal Project is no exception. Her past films relied on casting non-professional actors and family members, but this time around she wanted to make a film in Toronto with professionals. “In early October, I wrote a letter to the acting community. Casting Director, Nicole Hilliard-Forde distributed the letter to the industry. Toronto agents were encouraging. It was to be an ACTRA coop; the actors would share ownership of the finished film.” Veninger waited until after her cast and crew were assembled to write the script, giving her only a two month window to complete it in. “I promised everyone we would begin shooting on March 3, 2013.”